Miter box or gage



(No Model.)

J. J. MEYERS.

' MITBR BOX 0R GAGE. No.-257,041. Patented Apr. 25, 1882.

mmumW/Zlm Witnesses: Inventor N. PETERS. Flmlulilhegmplmr. Washington. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. MEYERS, OF BUFFALO, NE\V YORK.

MITER BOX OR GAGE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 257,041, dated April 25, 1882.

Application filed November 9, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOIINJ.MEYERs,ofBuffalo, in the county of Eric and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on a Miter and Bevel Box or Gage; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has general reference to a miter and bevel box or gage; and it consists essentially in the peculiar combination of parts and novel construction of elements, as hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings already mentioned, which serve to illustrate my said invention more fully, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved miter and bevel gage. Figs.2 and 3 are plans of the same, showing the dial and saw-guides in different positions. Fig.4.is a sectional elevation in-line m 00 ofFig.3. Fig.5 is an elevation, and Fig. 6 a sectional elevation of a part of the saw-guide.

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters of reference in all the figures.

A in these drawings represents a straightedge of any suitable length, having a clamp or other analogous device, B, to hold a board, scantling, or other piece of wood, U, securely to said straight-edge A. To the forward end of this straight-edge is pivoted a dial-plate or quadrant, O, by means of a bolt and nut, D, said quadrant being provided with a slotted aperture, E, and on its face, along its perimeter as well as along the slotted aperture 11), with a scale, F G,respeetively, corresponding to the degrees of the compass. Upon the straightedgeis fixed a sight and clamping piece, H, having an aperture, h, and a pointer, h, and on its forward end a set-screw, I, by means of which the dial is retained in any desired position.

To one of the radial edges of the quadrant O is hinged,bymeans of hinges J, asaw-guide, consisting of two perforated plates, L L, secured together along their upper edge by means of two clamping-screws, a a, and held a suitable distance apart by four setscrews, b b, in

(No model.)

such manner as to render the space between the two plates, L L, adjustable, in a manner hereinafter to be referred to. On the back of the plate L are provided two lugs, M, within which is pivoted a bifurcated brace, N,hinged at its other end to a sliding plate, P, adjustably secured to the dial 0 by a bolt, Q, operatin g in the slot E-in said dial-plate, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The index-marks G along the slot E are so spaced that thepointer Q, on the plate P, indicates the degree ofinclination ot' the saw-guide L L. On the ends of the plate L are two extensions, R R, having slots, through which are passed screws (1, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5,by means of which said exten sion-pieces R R are adj ustably fastened to the edges of said plate L.

In operation, the straight-edge A is placed upon the article orpiece of wood,molding,&c., U, and clamped thereto by the clamping-screw S, the saw-guide having been previously set to the desired degree of bevel by turning the index-plate C until the pointer h registers with the correct degree-mark on the index F. Now the set-screw I is screwed down to hold the quadrant (and with it the saw-guide) in proper position, after which the saw is inserted into the space between the guide-plates L L and the piece U out into. If the saw-cut is to be made at right angles to the baseline of the straightedge, the saw-guide L L is set into that position; but, if the cut is to be at an angle, as well as miterin g, then the saw-guide is inclined byloosening the nut Q and slidingthe plate P along until the pointer Q registers with the proper degree-mark in the scale G.

In order to render the saw-guide L L adj ustable, so as to admit saws of various thick ness, the plates'L L are provided with two clamping-screws, (t, and above and below these screws with set-screws b 1). Thus by slackening the clamping-screws a and turning in the set-screws b b the space between the plates L L may be increased, while a contrary manipulation produces a reverse result; or the plates may be inclined to each other by slackening the upper set-screws, b, and tightening the lower set-screws, b, or vice versa, in a manner readily comprehended. In sawing through thick stuff, where the saw would leave the guide-plates L L, and thereby lose its guide,

use is made of the extension-pieces R It, which are lowered before the saw has left the guideplates.

To enable the dial-plate O to be set beyond an angle of eighty degrees I provide the straight-edgeAwith an extension-arm,T, Fig. 2, whereby the pointer it begins to indicate angles after the index F has passed the pointer h. This extension T, although in some cases a desirable adjunct to the apparatus, is not an absolute necessity, since all the angles may be found with the dial when using the index-finger h alone.

I do not here wish to confine myself to the use of a clamping device, B S, either such as shown or one of any other construction, since the apparatus is capable of being used without said clamping device; nor do Iwish to confine myself to the use of the auxiliary pointer T, because (as already stated) this pointer may be dispensed with, if desired, without impairing the usefulness of the apparatus or departing from my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. A miter-box consisting essentially of a straight-edge,A,having a clamping device,B, a quadrant, O, pivoted to the forward end of said straight-edge by the bolt I), and two sawguiding plates, L L, said plate L being hinged to the quadrant O, and the plate L adjustably secured to the plate L, the saw-guiding plates being provided with means, substantially as described, for varying their inclination relative to the straight-edge A, substantially as and for the object specified.

2. The combination, with the straight-edge A, of the quadrant 0, having the indexes F and Gr and pointer h, the saw-guiding plates L L, pivoted brace N, sliding plate 1?, with pointer Q, and the clamp-screw Q, substantially as described, for the purpose indicated.

3. In a miter-box, the combination,with the straight-edge A, ot'the index-plate U,pivoted to said straight-edge at its forward end by the bolt D, and the sighting-plate H, having a sighting-aperture, h, provided with an indexfinger, h,and on its forward end an adj ustingscrew; I, adapted to press the index-plate (J down upon the straight-edge A, the whole being constructed and combined for operation substantially in the manner as and for the object stated.

4. In a miter-box having two plates forming a guide for the saw, the combination, with said plates, of two sets of set-screws, b b, adapted to push the said plates apart, and one set of screws, to, constructed to draw said plates together, said screws a being located about midwaybetwecn said screws 1) b,whereby said plates may be adjusted substantially in the manner as and for the purpose specified.

5. In miter-boxes,the combination,with the dial-plate O,having an index-pointer, h,ot' the 

